Week 11: Examine Your Goal
Athletes,
When you started this training cycle, you had a goal in mind. This week, knowing what we know now, it's time to examine that original goal. Think through and ask yourself a few questions...
- How have I interacted with my pace chart? Consider how you've felt during your easy pace, marathon goal pace, and where you've been able to arrive on your Interval #1 & #2 days.
- How's my body holding up on long runs? Long runs will always be the most important day of the week; think critically about how you've felt and how the pace changes have impacted you toward the end of the runs.
- If you are running with training partners, how am I progressing with my running buddies based on our different or similar goals? If you are training along or less frequently with people consider how comfortable half marathon and Tempo paces have been on long run days.
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
Visualization Practice
6 weeks to go. Take a moment to let that sink in: you conquered 10 weeks of marathon training. 10 weeks, 70 days. If you don’t have any reason to be proud of yourself today (I hope you have many!) – making it to week 11 definitely is one.
Now is a great moment to start your visualization practice. Visualization is one of the most researched practices in sports psychology and there are many ways to use it. Most athletes visualize naturally in workouts, long runs or easy runs by dreaming about the race, making up race scenarios and imagining themselves crossing the finish line. If that works for you – great! Keep doing that.
Reflection prompts:
- What feeling do you want to have at the starting line?
- What feelings will you have at the halfway point?
- What feeling do you want to have as you cross the finish?
Guidance by Mari Dottschadis M.S.c.
NUTRITION
Reflect and Refine Your Nutritional Plan
Take time to review how your current nutrition plan has supported your training progress so far. Reflect on which foods and meal timings have worked well and which might need adjustment. Use this insight to further refine your diet so that it directly supports your performance goals. Consult with a nutrition professional if needed, and remain flexible in your approach to accommodate your evolving training needs. This period of examination helps ensure your nutrition plan is as dynamic as your training.
RECOVERY
Reflect and Refine Your Recovery Routine
Examine the effectiveness of your recovery practices over the past weeks. Review your recovery journal and note any recurring issues such as persistent soreness or fatigue. Based on these observations, refine your strategies—perhaps by extending cooldowns, adding extra stretching sessions, or trying new relaxation techniques. Don’t hesitate to seek advice from a coach or recovery specialist to fine-tune your routine. A thoughtful evaluation now can lead to long-term gains in performance and overall well-being.